Getting married in Colombia is either a very complicated process or as easy as falling off a log. It is completely up to you. I had researched the process and took everything with me that I might need. The US Embassy took me less than five minutes once I got to the window. There were guys who had arrived early in the day to be first in line, they were still there when I left. I didn’t arrive until 12:50 and I was gone before 2:00.
1) Take the time to get your marriage visa before leaving for Colombia. It is an easy thing to obtain. Search history and you will find a detailed post I wrote about that process.
2) Before travelling to Colombia (or another country) send the documents to your novia that her country requires for you to marry her there. She can present them to the official there, allowing you to get on the plane with the knowledge that you don’t have any surprises waiting for you in that regard. Be aware what one official requires is going to be different from what another official requires. In Colombia some notaries will only perform the wedding in their office, while others are willing to marry you in a ceremony setting. One Notary said I had to have a notarized avidavit with apostle stating that I have no minor children. Another Notary said he had never heard of that requirement. One notary wanted divorce certificates and avidavit of singlehood. Other notarys want one or the other, they said that the avidavit is only for a person who has never been married before. Ensure that she presents the documents to the same Notary who is going to marry you.
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In Colombia I needed:
a) Marriage Visa (Send a photo copy – The original is placed in your passport)
b) Original Birth Certificate dated less than 60 days with an apostle for the certificate.
c) Spanish translation of birth certificate. (Let your novia get the document translated in her city by an approved translator)
d) Orginal Divorce Certificate dated less than 60 days with an apostle for the certificate. NOTE: Get the divorce certificate from the vital records department of the state the divorce occurred in. This is different from a copy of your divorce decree. The certificate is one page and much cheaper to have translated and is preferred by the Notary.
e) Spanish translation of divorce certificate. (Let your novia get the document translated in her city by an approved translator)
f) A photo copy of passport. (Does not need to be notarized)
I also took the following with me for Bogota.
a) My original birth certificate dated less than 60 days
b) My original divorce certificate dated less than 60 days
c) My wife’s birth certificate dated less than 60 days
d) My wife’s baptismal certificate
e) My wife’s police certificate
f) 110 dollars (US or Colombian currency is accepted but US 100 dollar bills are not accepted)
g) 330 dollars (needed for her second trip to the embassy)
h) This is used for her second trip to the embassy. Form I-864 Avidavit Of Support. This form MUST be notarized in the states. Print the form out from the Internet. This form does not yet work with being completed online. Print it then complete it but do not sign it. Wait and sign it in the presence of a notary. Look at the government’s poverty guideline chart on the internet. If you make 125% of the poverty base for your family size then you only need 3 years of your income tax returns with W2’s, and a letter from your employer on company letterhead stating how much you make per year. What your job title is. What was your start date for employment there. If you make less than the 125% property level you will need additional supporting doc for this form. Note: It takes close to 60 days to order a copy of any missing tax returns from the IRS. If you don't have them order them with plenty of time to get them.
i) Form DS-230 Part 1 and part 2. This form can be found on the INS website and filled out online and then printed.
j) Form I-130 (remember she is now married to you and her name is not the same as it was)
k) Two copies of Form G325A. One for you and one for her. Each containing 2 visa style photos of each of us (Not passport photos) (Everything I have read said I needed these but I am sure they are not going to ask for these forms)
l) The first trip to the embassy will provide her with a list of what she needs for the second trip. This will include a list of vaccines needed, xrays and blood work, and a complete physical. The doctor is going to give her a sealed envelope for the Embassy. Do not open this. It can only be opened by the embassy. She will need 1 visa photo for the doctors office. She will need to return to the doctors office 1.5 hours after her examination.
